Dating and stamp-canceling machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. J. B. MOELRATH. DATING AND STAMP GANGBLING MACHINE.

W/TNESSESI (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. J. B. MGELRATE DATING AND STAMP GANGELING MACHINE.

No. 529,699. Patented May 29, 1894.

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DATING AND STAMP GANGBLING MACHINE. No. 520,698. Patented May 29, 1894.

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UNITED STATES JAMES J. B-.MCELRATH,

PATENT CEEICE.

oE'oENTEE, ALABAMA.

DATING AND STAMP-CANCELING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,698, dated May 29, 1894. Appncanohiea February 10,1894. semi No. 499.767. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEsJ. B. MCELEATH, of Centre, in the county of Cherokee and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improved Dating and Stamp Canceling Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved poweroperated device for the dating and simultaneous cancellation of the stamps on letters or packages, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple and efficient machine of the 'character indicated, which may be operated by foot-power or other means, and that will rapidly and reliably date and cancel postage stamps on any desired number of letters, cards or packages that are successively fed to the machine.

To this end,my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar gures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views shown.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device arranged to be operated by foot-power. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view, on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view opposite the arrow 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged, de-

'tachedplan View of the printing and canceling roller that isa portion of the improvement; and Fig. 5 is a sectional side view, on

Athe line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

There is a rectangular frame provided for the machine, composed of the similar side pieces 10, that are held spaced apart a proper distance by the bottom piece 11 and transverse bolts 12, the bolts being so arranged at the ends and along the upper edges of the side boards intermediately of the ends, that room will be affordedfor the working parts of the machine to be-located between the frame sides. A column 13, is preferably employed as a support for the machine frame, and is secured thereto at one side near the longitudinal center, having such a proportionate height as will adapt it to sustain the working mechsmaller forward cylindrical roller 16, these rollers slightly exceeding in length the width of the apron. forded between the ends of the apron rollers 15, 16, and the sides of the frame, the distance between said sides 10, being preferably made equal to twice the length of the rollers. There is a journal shaft provided for each apronsupporting roller, which shafts 15, 16a, are slightly longer than the frame is wide, and have their end portions journaled in the sides of said frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

The smaller apron roller 16, that is at the feeding end of the machine is located nearer the end of the frame than is the rear roller 15, and both of these rollers are placed at such a height from the bottom 11, that the upper ply of the endless apron which is the working surface of the same, will be nearly in a horizontal plane.

A cylindrical feeding roller 17, is sustained ifn'a plane parallel with the axis of the shaft 16a, by a journal shaft 17"', which has its end portions loosely engaged with boxes secured in the frame sides 10. The roller 17 is preferably given aV greater diameter than that of the lower roller 16, the length of the rollers being equal. A thick envelope 17h, of felt, cloth or other available elastic material is secured upon the peripheral surface of the roller 17, and the complete roller is so located that its yielding envelope will touch the top surface of the apron 14, near the front end of the latter.

Above the rear "apron-supporting roller 15, a similar roller 18, is rotatively sustained by its shaft lSL so that it will lie in a parallel plane with the lower roller mentioned, its periphery being spring-pressed upon the rear end portion of the apron 14, by means of the vertically slidable boxes 18b and springs 18, that occupy vertical slots in the side pieces 10 of the machineframe.

At a suitable distance from the pair of rear rollers 15, 18, a cylindrical roller 19, of a nearly equal diameter therewith is secured upon the axial shaft 19a, that is journaled in the frame sides 10, at such points as will permit the top surface of the roller 19 to have contact with the lower surface of the top ply of the endless apron 14, said roller being located be tween the two longitudinally-extending plies of the apron, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5.

There is an equal space af- IOO In the same vertical and transverse plane with the roller 19, a printing roller 2O is revolubly supported by its axial shaft 20, that is furnished with boxes which slide in vertical slots formed in the sides 10, these boxes 2Ob being spring-pressed upwardly. The periphery of the substantially cylindrical roller l20 is recessed at a suitable point between its ends, for the reception of a dating stamp bleek 21, that is made to receive the necessary letters and figures as usual, said block being held in place by the adjustable screws 22, shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Another diebloek 23 is provided, that is embedded in the body of the roller 20, and extends around a portion of the same, having a corresponding degree of curvature lengthwise, so as to adapt its outer side to form a peripheral face for the roller, said die block being held in place by screws 24. The dating stamp 21 and die block 23, are similarly projected above the general surface of the roller they are embedded in, and the latter named piece has its curved outer surface longitudinally grooved at proper distances apart, thus providing a series of canceling ribs on said surface, as indicated in Fig. 4, which ribs are extended from the dating stamp a suitable length for effective service.

Above the printing roller 20, an inking roller 25 is rotatably supported by its center shaft 25, that is slidably jeurnaled in the frame sides 10, by a loose engagement of the box bearings 25D, with vertical slots in said sides, the lowest depression of these boxes allowing the contour of the roller 25, to have contact with the dating stamp 21 and die bleek 23, the depressed surface of the printing roller avoiding the face of the inking roller; and to elastically enforce the impinge of the inking roller on the parts it touches, springs are located in the slots of the frame above the boxes 25", which springs press the boxes down wardly. The rollers 19 and 2O are made of suflicient length to project their ends beyond each side edge of the apron 14, and on the top roller 20, a circumferential flange 20c is formed near each terminal, which flanges are of a proper and equal width and depth to adapt them to have pressure on the lower roller 19.

Between the pair of rollers 19, 20, and forward rollers 15, 18, two cylindrical rollers 2G, 27, of an equal diameter are located, one above and the other below the top ply of the apron 14. These rollers are preferably made of a less diameter than the inking roller, and are rotatably maintained in position se that their adjacent portions will have contact with the top ply of the apron 14, by their shafts 26, 27. rllhe lower roller 27, is arranged to reciprocate vertically a limited distance, by the provision of boxes for its journals, which boxes loosely engage vertical slots formed in the frame pieces 10, and are seated on springs that are also located in the frame slots just mentioned, as shown at 27h, in Fig. 3.

The shaft 19 is extended outside of the frame pieces 10, sufficiently to each side ot' the machine to permit the grooved pulley 19" to be secured on one end above the column 13, and the larger grooved pulley 19C to be affixed on the same end of the shaft 19a, outside of the pulley 19". There is a grooved band wheel 13 mounted to rotate on the side of the column 13, by a journal stud 13", that projects from the latter, a band 13c being extended between and over said band wheel and the grooved pulley 19", the band wheel being equipped with a crank arm and treadle of erdinary form for its rotatable movement, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

An end portion of the roller shaft 17^"L is extended from the frame of the machine on the side that is connected to the column 13, and on this shaft end a small grooved pulley 17c is placed and secured in the same vertical plane with the pulley 19, to which it is eennect-ed by the band 17, which band is crossed, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 5. One end of the shaft 15n is outwardly projected from one side of the frame, a grooved pulley 15c being secured on the projected end l of said shaft in alignment with a pulley 19 on the shaft 19h"L to which pulley it is connected by the band 151.

Each end of the shaft 27n is projected beyond the sides 10, sufficiently te receive the two similar arms 27c that are thereto secured so as to project toward the roller 19. The arms 27c are pivoted upon the frame pieces 10, so as to vibrate ufrom a horizontal position, and have their outer ends lapped upon and pivoted to the adjacent ends of the upright links 27l. From the end portions of the shaft 20, that supports the printing roller 20, two levers 201 are projected toward the roller 26, these levers being pivoted upon the frame sides 10 at 20, and upon the upper ends of the links 27*1 at their outer ends, the pivot points 2Ou being located an equal and suitable distance from the shaft 202 At the front of the machine, a feeding chute plate 10b is affixed upon the end wall 10C of the frame that extends below the chute plate for its support, the plate is given any required width and length, and is slightly inclined inwardly and downwardly so as to project its inner end near to the front of the apron 14, and below the feeding roller 17. The band 13's that connects the wheel 13u with ZOO lIO

the groeved pulley 19h, rotates the latter in the same direction as the band wheel, and as the wheel 19d is on the opposite end of the shaft 19, and is flexibly connected with the shaft 15, whereon the rear roller 15 is sccured, it will be seen that a rearwardly progressive movement of the upper ply of the apron, or in the direction of the arrow 4, will be produced when the band wheel 13 is rotated in the direction of the curved arrow 1, shown in Fig. 5. The band connection 171 between the shaft 17 and shaft 19a being crossed, the direction of rotary motion transmitted from the latter named shaft is reversed, and the feeding roller 17 will be revolved toward the apron 14, or in the direction of the arrow 2, in Fig. 5.

By the peculiar arrangement of the arms 27, links 27d, and levers 20d, the roller shaft 27a is adapted when depressed, to force the printing roller in the same direction against the-stress of the springs that sustain the boxes 20h, so that the introduction of material between the roller 26 and the upper surface of the apron 14, will cause the printing roller 20, to more forcibly impinge its end anges 20, upon the lower roller 19, to receive rotary motion therefrom in the direction of the curved arrow shown opposite its end in Figs. 3 and 5.

In use, the operator arranges any desired number of letters, postal cards, or other mailable matter that is within the capacity of the machine, upon the chute plate 10", the several pieces being piled one upon the other, and to facilitate the proper stamping and cancellation of the mail matter,letters or cards should be presented to the roller 17 with the end irst that has postage stamps on it, the printing roller at the start of work being adjusted so that the cancelling ribs of the die 23 will be in the position shown in Fig. 5, whenl the letters are engaged by it. p

It will be seen that when a letter or postal card from the pile on the chute plate 10b is shoved so that the rotating roller 17 presses it upon said plate and transfers it to the apron 14, the introduction of the letter or card .so compresses the elastic envelope 17b as to 1nsure the forward movement of the engaged piece, the lower roller 16 contributing to such a result. Before the rollers 16, 17, release the letter, it is shoved between the transfer rollers 26, 27, that in turn press the moving letter upon the traveling apron 14, so that the end of the letter or card, without retardation, will be introduced between the apron and the printing roller 20, the roller 19 serving to prevent the apron from sagging at the point of contact. As the canceling die isin position to engage the postage stamp or stamps on the letter when the latter'is presented below the roller 20, and has previously been brought into contact with the inking roller 25, it will be evident that as the letter moves along beneath the printing roller, the postage stamps on it will first be canceled, and then the dating stamp 21 will have contact with the face of the letter near its longitudinal center, thereby imprinting the designating characters it carries, upon the letter in a distinct manner. As it is desirable'in order to simplify the machine, that the printing roller 20, be allowed to move continuously, it will be evident that on long letters or packages, the date stamp and canceling marks will be duplicated, which is not considered objectionable. By continuation of the treadle movement, the letter that has been stamped and canceled, will be progressively moved until the discharging rollers 15,

18, grip its end, and as these are pressed together by the springs 18C, it will be seen that the mail matter passed successively through the machine, will be properly date marked, receive the mark of the post oice location, and have all the postage stamps reliably canceled. When the mail matter is discharged from the machine it is caught at the rear by the box-like space aorded at the rear end of the frame, and from there can be conveniently transferred to the assorting tables or into mail bags as may be required.

-The roller 16, as shown, will drive the apron 14, faster than the periphery of the printing roller 20, travels; if this should prove objectionable, the roller 16may be increased in diameter to alter the travel of the apron and make it correspond with the speed of the printing roller.

It is evident that the machine may be readily arranged to receive power from a moving mechanical motor, by providing belts or gearing and dispense with foot power, also that other means of support than the column 13 may be provided if preferred.

It is claimed for this improved date stamp and canceling machine that it is simple, not liable to get out of working order, inexpensive to construct, and reliable in operation, and that it is adapted to receive and operate upon letters or'thin cards in equally as eec'tive a manner as it will on thicker packages.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentv 1. The combination, with the frame, the supported movable endless apron, the feeding roller at one end of the apron, two transfer rollers spaced from the feeding roller and embracing the top ply of the apron, the lower transfer roller being upwardly actuated, and a rotatable slidingly-supported printing roller above an apron supporting roller, both spaced from the transfer rollers, of a motion transmitting device connecting the lower transfer roller with the printing roller, which will depress said printing roller when the lower transfer roller is depressed, substantially as described.

JAMES J. B. MCELRATH.

Witnesses:

G. T. TALLEY, J. L. SAVAGE.

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